


Tangled Up With You

by Moonsault, orphan_account



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Episode Tag, First Kiss, Kayfabe Compliant, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 16:24:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4753034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonsault/pseuds/Moonsault, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their encounter with Braun Strowman, Roman patches Dean up and tries to think of ways to protect him in the future.  Unfortunately for him, Dean isn't interested in being protected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tangled Up With You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [WWE/NXT part of the Porn Tree!](http://porn-tree.dreamwidth.org/23215.html?thread=534703#cmt534703)

The hotel room was quiet except for the purr of the air conditioner as Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose took stock of their tally of scratches and bruises. “This is the worst one, I guess,” said Dean, pulling off his shirt and rotating his shoulder as he sat down next to Roman on the bed, turning his back to him. “Hit me with some ice, wouldja?”

Roman didn’t wince when he saw the bruises etched beneath Dean’s skin, across his shoulder blade, but only because he knew from long experience that if he did, it would just raise Dean’s hackles. He’d seen the door close behind a Dean gone prickly and distant too many times to make _that_ mistake again.

“Well,” said Dean with a pained chuckle as Roman pressed the ice pack to his shoulder, “That’s a new challenge. Looks like things are going to get more exciting for us, brother.”

He turned his head to give Roman that fearless, bright grin, and Roman looked away from his gaze to the seeping darkness in his flesh. If Dean leaned back just a few inches, the thought came to him, he’d be practically in Roman’s arms. He’d fallen from Strowman’s fists into Roman’s arms during the brawl, his body heavy and warm for that one fleeting moment. Roman could lean forward right now, could put his arms around Dean’s torso again. He might even be able to claim he was exhausted, that it was weariness that caused his his head to droop to Dean’s neck, to rest against that battered skin, letting his breath ghost across the fresh bruises. 

Bruises put there because Dean was Roman’s friend; pain hammered into his bones and sinews because he was close to Roman.

Roman moved back a few inches. The air felt cool and empty between them, and Dean’s smile turned puzzled.

“They don’t need to get more exciting for you,” Roman said. “It’s my fault you’re tangled up in this. You can get untangled.”

“Untangled?” Dean’s laugh was incredulous. “Roman, no one’s going to believe we’re not friends.”

“If you.” Roman had to stop and take a slow breath before going on. “If you turned on me. If you attacked me, said you were sick of me. Then they’d leave you alone.”

“What the _hell_?” Dean jumped to his feet, staring at him. “What is this bullshit?”

“It would work,” said Roman, warming to the idea. “You could talk about how tired you were of being wrapped in my stupid feuds, how you needed to be your own man. You could--you could hit me with a chair and--”

Dean’s body collided with his, knocking him backwards onto the bed. _”How dare you,”_ he snarled, “How _fucking_ dare you?” He straddled Roman, grabbing handfuls of his shirt and shaking. “If I’m tangled up in this, it’s because I choose to be. I don’t want to be _untangled_ , I choose--I want to be--” His legs tightened around Roman’s hips and he looked almost surprised for a second. “I like--being tangled up with you,” he said. He let go of Roman’s shirt and grabbed two handfuls of Roman’s hair, winding them around his fists, slowly reeling himself closer to Roman.

“I don’t like seeing you hurt because of me,” Roman said, although he was finding it hard to speak with that tug on his hair, imperative yet gentle; with Dean’s face so close to his. It was getting hard to breathe.

“So your brilliant plan is to have me whack you with a chair? Ro, as plans go, I gotta say yours _sucks_.” Dean’s face was very close now. “Nothing could hurt more than having to pretend to hate you.”

Somehow Roman’s hands had found their way to Dean’s bare waist, splayed out so his thumbs were on Dean’s belly. He felt Dean breathing fast, felt himself rubbing gentle circles into the skin of Dean’s stomach as if to soothe him.

It didn’t seem to be soothing him.

“Maybe it’s just as well,” Roman said. “I don’t think I could pretend to hate you. Not even to save you.”

“I don’t need _saving_ ,” said Dean, spitting the word like a curse. “I need…” He took a long breath. “I need…”

Roman came up to meet his mouth and Dean growled hungrily and dragged him close.

“No more of this stupid talk,” Dean rasped when the kiss broke. “If you tell me to turn on you again, I’m gonna kick your ass, you understand?” He looked surprised when Roman snorted with laughter, then lapsed into a rueful grin himself. “Anyway,” he said. “You know what I mean.”

“I do,” said Roman. He wrapped one leg around Dean’s, twining them together. Tangled up. “I guess I do.”


End file.
